Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-12-03
CHAPTER ri.
A DIRECT RAILROAD CHASE.

and with q joyful bound our engine, as if
refreshed from its rest, sped on again.
We had been careful to SO obstruct the
track that the enemy was obliged to come
to a full halt, and thus give us time to
once more get out Of sight.
We passed Tilton in safety, and the
water station, which at that time was at
a different place from the wood yard, was
soon reached. Our supply Of this neces-
sity was low, and without it our progress
woul be at once arrested. We stopped,
adjusted the pipes, told the powder story
although from the battered appearance
OF our only car, with a hole knocked in
each end, that story was nc longer plaus.
IDLE, but 1t answered for the moment and
we succeeded in getting all the water we
needed. Had any objection been made
we would have taken 1t by force, and the
assurance with which we went to work
aided in securing confidence. Before the
tank was full the pursucrs came in sight,
but seeing us they ran slowly, and as Il
party of our men had run back and put
some distractions Oh the track, out of gun
shot, they. We're obliged to come to Il full
stop there, thus giving us the time needed.
Then we mounted and sped on toward
Dalton.
1t was advisable AZ once to get deci.
sively ahead of the pulsuers before reach
ing this town, which might present scri-
Gus difficulties. As there were no bridges
to burn now for Il considerable distance,
the only other thing was to try once more
to tear up the track. The engine was
again in good running condition, and wo
rushed rapidly forward, putting frequent
distractions on the ~tracE-mostly by drop
ping ties or sticks of firewood, BIT: in one
or W instances by reversing the engine,
jumping out and piiing up distractions.
AT Il favorable place we stopped again for
Il more permanent break.
Long practice had made rs skillful in
this matter. and the last two stops had
shown us that the enemy could not run
upon us without great care. So We
divided at once into four parties. Scott
II Il companion cut the tclegrapl;
Knight carefully inspected the engine;
two Or three ran back just out of gun
shot, and heaped Instructions on the
track, while the remainder worked with
might and main in taking up n rail. 1t
was here that a little occurrence took
place that has been much misrcprcscntcd.
a southern account widely copied,
says that Andrews men almost mutinisd
against him ut this place. The facts
are these: The writer and the men in the
box car had come to feel thai there was
no need Of running so long before the pur-
suing train, which We could sec to be a
short one, with probably not much if any
greater force than our own. Now while
as many were at the rail us could find
places to work-the process of lifting it
with our imperfect tools was very slow,
requiring more than five minutes-I said
to Andrews: 1--WE can capture that train,
if you are willing"
How" he asked. I answered:
Find a good place on 4 curve where
there are plenty Of bushes" las the road
had numberless curves, and ran mostly
thronch woods, this AS easy; "thcn let
us put on some Instructions and hide; one
OF our engineers can u ahead a mile or
two and come back after us; when the
enemy stop to clear the track we will rush
on them, and when we have captured
them IL other engineer can reverse their
engine and send it in a hurry down the
track to clear the road of any more trains
that may be following"
Andrews said, in his quiet way, sit is n
good plan. 1t is worth trying" and
looked around in q meditativc manner as
if weighing the chances Then the
cnemy'S whistle sounded, we saw them
tbHi W. W ilC CDStl uCt1OuS We 1ilu plUCcl
On the track, stop by reversing, and labor
rs trantically to clear the road ms we were
doing in trying to raise the rail.
But our efforts were in vain. The
stubborn spikes still held, and as they
were ready to move on again, Andrews
called out, "All aboard ~ and we dashed
away. That was not the place to make n
fight, as we all knew, for revolvers against
shotguns and rifles would have had no
chance at long range; but from an am
bush we could have been climbing into
their engine and cars before they could
pick up their guns, and the conflict would
not have been many minutes doubtful
This was the nearest we came to what Q
southern account called ''open mutiny''-
u mere respectful suggestion in the line Of
work. No officer was ever more
heartily obeyed than was Andrews during
the whole of this dav, and hone of us said
anything more about this plan for the
time, partly because we felt that our
leader was better able to judge what was
to be done than we, and partly also, l
must confess, because we thought he was
only waiting for the best place to turn on
our foes, and that we would soon have
MI the fighting we wanted.
The full speed of our engine was again
called into requisition as we neared DIAL
tor, and by the aid of a few ties dropped
on the track we were once more a respect
able distance ahead. We needed this
certain that the switches at this point
would be properly adjusted for our i'm
mediate passage through; and if not, Sc
rious difficulty might arise. We might
have a battle with forces in front as well
as in the rear, for Dalton was the largest
own we had reached since leaving
Marietta. Here a road diverged to Cleve-
land in Tennessee, where it connects with
the main line from Richmond to Chatta.
nooga, thus making a large triangle, or, as
4 railroad man would say; a great Y. At
that time no telegraph wires were on this
cross road; they were not put up till 1877.
There were also numerous side tracks,
and q probability that cars might be left
standing on some Of them; and as VT had
more than made up our hours delay at
Kingston and were now much ahead of
time, there was no certainty OF the road
being rightly adjusted for us. 1t was
therefore necessary to stop at the open
ing of the switch, which was fortunately
o little way down from the large passen-
ger depot, which had a shed over all the
tracks, and through which we had to
pass.
Here the GOODNESS and adroitness Of An
drews shone out with pre.eminent luster.
It Is likely that when we had spoken of
fighting a little way back, his mind was
occupied rather with the problem of pass
ing Dalton, and Of judging by what took
place there whether the enemy was warned.
The train was stopped, he ran forward,
observed that the track was clear, spoke
ia ono ar tva hrstanders. and was back